We recently launched Group Chat, a curated group of curious Gen Zers from across the country who are fueling our insights and helping us get to know their generation even better. (If you’re interested in applying, learn more here!)
Gen Z optimized their app use in 2024. The best apps solve everyday problems, foster connection, provide entertainment and offer validation. We asked our Group Chat to share their top five apps of the year. The most-mentioned ones suggest an obsession with efficiency, creativity and connection.
Spotify and TikTok reign supreme, of course, but there were plenty of surprises.
Games
What can’t be gamified? Alarmy forces its users to complete a series of mini games to actually turn off, turning something as banal as waking up in the morning into an interactive, reward-driving challenge. Delta Game Emulator and Roblox trigger nostalgia, offering a sense of familiarity and escapism, while NYT Games turns puzzles and crosswords into intellectually stimulating daily rituals.
Life Management
Apps like Hue, Routinery and Notion allow users to organize and complete tasks through one’s phone, freeing up mental space for more creative endeavors and offline connection. As Thea P. put it, “life is so much easier the more apps you can automate.” In addition to daily to-dos, many organizational apps prioritize the customizable capabilities of their user interface, offering users a sense of control to create personalized digital spaces that mirror their physical environment (Hue) and daily routines (Routinery and Notion).
Meanwhile, Group Chat’s using apps like Subway Time and Transit (as well as Google/Apple Maps of course) to navigate their daily lives. Not just to get to where they're going as quickly as possible, but in the case of the latter for recommendations nearby, with Holden K. letting us know that when they need something quick, they are “going to Maps before Google.”
Recommendations
Speaking of, the Gen Zers in our Group Chat rely on curated recommendations to tell them where to eat and what to watch, and figure their peers want the same from them. Apps like Beli and Letterboxd allow users to evaluate, recommend and discuss restaurants or movies, letting users tap into trusted circles for inspiration, with Alexis Q. explaining how “being able to see what my favorite cinematographer is watching gives new light to what might’ve inspired them.” These apps also leave a digital footprint, as proof you tried or watched a certain thing, turning personal preferences into a leaderboard, where users can compare and continuously refine their tastes.
A One-Stop Shop
The Notes app is an extension of Group Chat’s mind and chronicle of its daily life. The catch-all can be used to organize fleeting thoughts, save unsent messages, start a novel or write a grocery list. It creates a unique intersection between practicality and emotional depth, without the pressure of curating thoughts and ideas to fit social expectations. The open-ended format of the Notes app allows Gen Zers to use it however they choose, with Thea P. joking it “could probably tell a better story of who I am than even forensic analysis.” The appeal for this app lies in its rare combination of practicality and vulnerability, tapping into Gen Zers’ need for both efficiency and authenticity.
In 2024, Gen Zers’ app preferences painted a compelling picture of a generation seeking balance in a hyper-digital world. These app choices reflect a desire for efficiency, creativity and connection. With the utility of apps being the common thread, this generation takes their top app choices a step further — relying on tools that simplify their lives while offering room for self-expression and entertainment.
